but i want to thank my democrat colleagues, mr. cardoza and mr. costa for supporting this amendment. i know it's been hard for them, i appreciate their friendship and work on this issue. i want to thank the republican leadership in this body for supporting this amendment. i yield back to the gentleman. the chair: the time of the gentleman from texas has expired. members are reminded to please address their remarks to the chair. for what purpose does the gentleman from west virginia rise? mr. mollohan: strike the reck sith number of words. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. mr. mollohan: i yield to the gentleman from california. mr. miller: we're here in this situation because a court ruled after the last administration trampled through the fish and wildlife service, national marine ocean service and altered scientific findings, study, and opinions that we could no longer conduct the business of the central valley project. i didn't see my friends on the other side of the aisle raise one objection at the time those actions were

mr. cardoza: thank you, madam speaker. i would just respond to the gentleman that this is less than $100 million a year for the entire country. while every dollar that the taxpayers pays is significant and important, i'd say that this particular bill is much more important in some ways than many expenditures this federal government makes. and it is also something that i believe is fundamentally important in many sectors, especially in the area that i talked about with adopting new children. the gentleman says that federal employees is some of the most stable work force we have in this country. well, that is the kind of people you want adopting children, stable homes that have jobs they aren'toing to lose and take the time to do. while lead policies in the government generally may compare favorably with some private sector employment, the federal government's paid parental leave policy simply does not. 75% of the fortune 100 companies offer at least six weeks of parental paid leave and make them much more attractive to youn

mr. cardoza: thank you, mr. speaker. i have sat here and listened this evening to the gentleman from texas talk about how this is a terrible waste of dollars and how the republicans are saying that this is a terrible waste of money. but i wish to correct the gentleman. today, this isn't a partisan issue. in fact, i would predict that there are a number of his colleagues, the gentleman from texas on the republican side of the aisle like mr. wolf, who understand what this is about. this is about america's children, about children coming into this world and bonding with a mother and a father and having the opportunity to do that in this hectic world that we live in today. it's about foster parents that come in and do the right thing, taking care of abused and victimized children. and needing that time to do it right. it's about adoptive parents, who when they reach out and bring into their home permanently children who have been victimized by society's ills, having the opportunity to do it right so we can start healing thos

mr. cardoza: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. cardoza: house resolution 501 provides for consideration of h.r. 626 the federal employees paid parental leave act of 2009, under a structured rule. the rule provides for one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking member of the committee on oversight and government reform. the rule makes in order three amendments listed in the rules committee report, each debatable for 10 minutes. the rule also provides a motion to recommit with or without instructions. madam speaker, i rise today not as a democrat or a republican but as a father. nothing can replace the first few days and weeks between a parent and a newborn or a newly adopted child. when the bond that is forged is critical and sets the foundation for the entire -- for the child's entire later life. it is in these first few moments that a child's emotional and physical health and development is established. time which cannot be made u